stargateficrec | Lazarus Warming by Catsmeow (PG)

Rec Category: Jack/Sara
Pairing: Jack O'Neill/Sara O'Neill
Category: Character study, Daniel/Jack friendship, episode-related, episode tag, Jack O'Neill, Jack/Sara, Sara O'Neill, SG-1
Warning: Spoilers for 'Cold Lazarus' (Season 1 Episode 7)
Author on LJ:

chattycatsmeow
Author's Website: LJ fic tag
Link: Lazarus Warming

Author's summary: The SGC is in an uproar in the aftermath of the entity, but Jack's main concern is for Sara.

Why This Must Be Read: This is a lovely, realistic look at the aftermath of the events in 'Cold Lazarus,' from the cover story the powers that be have to spin to explain away the strange phenomena, and the non-disclosure agreement that Sara would have to sign, through Jack's private response to all that happened, to his first meeting with Sara afterwards. This is a story about good-hearted, practical people dealing with extraordinary events in the wake of an unthinkable tragedy, acting with common sense and compassion, and finding the strength to face each other. It shows how eminently possible a reconciliation between Jack and Sara -- as friends or as partners -- could be, and sets them well on their way towards it. It segues smoothly from the end of the episode into What Comes After, with enjoyable appearances by Carter and Hammond and a sense of post-mission SGC life. There's a generous helping of Jack-Daniel friendship, supportive and frequently delightful and never intrusive. And the fic as a whole is an insightful character study of Jack.

When an episode leaves me saying, 'But ... what happened then?,' I turn to fic. This fic answers that question in a believable and very satisfying way.

About 9500 words.

Excerpt:

Taking a deep breath to calm his nerves, Jack pasted a pleasant smile on his face and went to her. The long walk across the open space made him feel uncomfortable. He didn't want to stare at her the whole way, that could be construed as a hostile action on his part and make her feel uneasy, but he was heading right toward her, so where else was he supposed to look?

The coffee sloshed inside the cups as he stepped into a dip in the ground giving him an excuse to look down. He busied himself with making sure the coffee and packets stayed put, keeping his eyes on the items in his hands until he was a few feet from the table where Sara sat.

There was an awkward moment where he went to put the food and drinks down on the table, but she thought he was handing them to her and reached for them, so he changed direction to give them to her, but she had already put her hands back down to rest on her thighs so he set them on the table after all. Jesus. Talk about clumsy. He hadn't been this uncoordinated even as a teen. Sara's mouth pulled back as a humorless smile flashed across her face, acknowledging the awkwardness.

"And now for my next trick," muttered Jack sarcastically, taking refuge behind self-deprecating humor.

This time a true smile lit up Sara's face as she laughed. "Thank you for bringing this." She picked at the cuff of her jacket as though unsure what to do with her hands. "Frankly, I was too nervous about seeing you this morning to have anything before I left the house."